Various Stories that have been published about the group

SEWA project manager Ravi Mattu organised the event, which featured representatives from Macmillan Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Care, the breast cancer support group, bowel screening, a nurse from the Royal Derby Hospital, Public Health Derby, Live Well, carers, Health Watch and the medicine management team.

More than 100 people attended the event, and the ladies' yoga group donated £200 to Derby Breast Cancer Support.

Mrs Mattu said: "We would like to thank to all professional and community members who made effort to attend the event.

Posted: October 01, 2014

Royal Derby Hospital to be a world leader in breast cancer study

DERBY is to lead a new study which could change the way women worldwide are treated for breast cancer.

A consultant at the Royal Derby Hospital has received a £2.9 million grant for the project – the largest ever given to a research expert from one of Derby's hospitals.

It will find out whether or not a particular treatment given to breast cancer patients – which can have permanent side effects, such as swelling in the arms and a loss of mobility – is necessary.

The study will involve more than 50 hospitals and almost 2,000 women across the UK taking part in a decade-long study.

Amit Goyal, consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon at Derby's hospitals, said the potential impact on patients with breast cancer could be "huge".

He said: "If the study can demonstrate this treatment is not necessary, then thousands of women around the world will be spared its potentially unpleasant permanent side-effects which are a constant reminder of the cancer."

When a woman is diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, surgeons check whether or not it has spread to one or two of the glands in the armpit, known as lymph glands.

If it is discovered the cancer has spread, these patients usually receive chemotherapy, hormone therapy or a combination of both.

But these women also currently have treatment to their armpit – either an operation to remove all the lymph glands there or radiotherapy.

And Mr Goyal said these treatments commonly lead to problems in the arm and hand, including shoulder stiffness, numbness or pain. It can also cause lymphoedema – a long-term condition which causes swelling in parts of the body and can result in pain and a loss of mobility.

But Mr Goyal said, while it was well established the chemotherapy and hormone therapy successfully prevent cancer from returning, it was less certain whether treatment of lymph nodes in the armpit was necessary as well.

He said: "The question is, is the armpit treatment of any benefit and, if it is not, why do it?

"I want to be clear – my message is not to say armpit treatment is good or armpit treatment is bad. The point is we do not know if it is still necessary and that is what the trial is aiming to find out."

Women with breast cancer in hospitals across the UK who are deemed suitable for the trial will be invited to take part. Half will have the armpit treatment and the other half will not. All women will still receive any other cancer treatment deemed necessary for them.

Mr Goyal said: "We recruited our first patient in Derby on August 1 so things are already in motion.

"Which women receive which treatment will be randomly allocated and we will be monitoring both groups thoroughly for as long as five years.

"We anticipate recruiting women for the trial over the next three-and-a-half years and, after the five-year follow-ups, we will need to some time to collate and publish the results, which is why we anticipate this could be a decade-long study."

Among those involved in the project is Derby cancer patient Patricia Fairbrother, who is working with the trial managers to offer them a patient perspective.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 and had a mastectomy. She also had treatment to remove the lymph glands in her armpit but said it was some time before she developed side-effects, including stiffness in her shoulders.

Today, she is a committee member of the Derby Breast Cancer Support group and trustee of the Independent Cancer Patients' Voice charity – which acts as a patient advocate group. She said: "I'm very pleased to be involved with this and to do what I can to raise the profile of the trial. This could make a huge difference to the treatment offered to women.

"I'm a prime example of what can happen through this treatment. I don't complain at all because I'm glad to be alive but it would be good if this could mean, eventually, women might have fewer side-effects to deal with."

Anyone who wishes to find out more about the trial, or get involved, should visit www.posnoc.co.uk.

EFFECTS OF TREATMENT LED TO CAREER CHANGE FOR KAREN

It was the side-effects of breast cancer treatment which forced Karen Sellors to change her career of 23 years.

The 47-year-old, of Hilton, was diagnosed with the condition more than 10 years ago and underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy.

Karen also had the lymph glands in her armpits removed and later developed lymphoedema.

At the time, she had a career in financial services and was required to carry lots of coins in the bank where she worked.

Karen, of Wye Close, Hilton, said: “I wasn’t supposed to lift heavy things because of my condition and, unfortunately, I had to leave in the end.

“But I’d actually taken a career break when I was being treated for the cancer and I’d started doing hairdressing as a hobby.

“So I decided to become self-employed and have my own hair salon in Sinfin. And it’s good because it means I can control the way I work and my working day around my limitations and how I’m feeling.”

Karen said other side-effects to the treatment for her breast cancer – for which she has not long had the 10-year all-clear – include a swollen arm and hand and being prone to cellulitis, an infection of the skin.

She said: “It’s not just at work but around the house – I’m not supposed to lift the vacuum cleaner or heavy shopping bags and I have to avoid cuts or scratches on my skin. I’ve been in and out of hospital needing antibiotics because of a small nick on my skin.

“To be honest, I just tend to get on with things. I went through a lot of cancer treatment and my prognosis had been poor.

“But it can be extremely difficult – these side-effects can change your life.”

Karen, who runs The Salon Hair and Beauty, in Wordsworth Avenue, Sinfin, said she was pleased to hear about the new study.

She said: “I think anything which can help people to avoid these side-effects is a good thing.”